1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telephony features and, particularly, to an improved call forwarding feature.
2. Description of the Related Art
Call forwarding is one of several features presently available to telephone subscribers. Call forwarding allows a telephone subscriber to forward calls incoming to his or her telephone number to another telephone number. In operation, the subscriber enters a service code followed by a destination telephone number to which incoming calls are forwarded.
It is frequently desirable to have some calls forwarded and some calls not forwarded. In many call forwarding systems, there is no ability to select callers who are and are not to be forwarded. In this case, all calls are forwarded.
Other call forwarding systems permit subscribers to specify the numbers of callers who are and are not to be forwarded. The call forwarding system then compares the calling number, for example, using Caller ID with the stored database. Authorized callers are forwarded and the others are not. However, this requires the subscriber to foresee who will and will not be calling. Otherwise, all calls are forwarded, and the forwarded from number cannot receive the calls.
A telephony system is known wherein a caller may specify a particular routing for a call based on dialing a predetermined suffix in which the routing is independent of the telephone number. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,295, this system allows, for example, a caller to place a call to a fax machine associated with a called party by dialing that party""s home telephone number and then dialing a particular suffix. In response to the suffix, the network directs the call to the fax machine, rather than to the called party""s telephone number. Dialing a different suffix will cause the call to be routed to a different, known location, such as an electronic messaging service. However, if call forwarding from the called party""s number is activated, the system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,295 still does not allow the caller to prevent the forwarding of his or her call and direct the call to the forwarded-from number.
These disadvantages in the prior art are overcome in large part by a system and method according to the present invention. In particular, a call forwarding system is provided wherein a subscriber may forward calls from a first telephone to a desired destination, for example, a mobile telephone. A xe2x80x9cCall Unforward Oncexe2x80x9d function is provided wherein a subscriber or other user may bypass the call forwarding for an individual call, but maintain the call forwarding function for other calls. In operation, the subscriber may place a call from the forwarded-to number to the forwarded-from number and dial a predetermined function code. The function code allows the user to connect to the forwarded-from number.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the Call Unforward Once function may be associated with an identification code. According to this embodiment, a caller may input the identification code when calling the forwarded-from number. The telephone system compares the identification code to a database associated with the forwarded-from number. If the code is listed as being associated with the forwarded-from number, the call will be connected to the forwarded-from number, rather than being forwarded to the forwarded-to number.